charles shepherd
Senior Member
- Messages
- 2,239
Blue Badge refusals and ME/CFS
What we’re saying about Blue Badge refusals and ME/CFS | 14 June 2016
One of the problems relating to Blue Badge applications and ME/CFS involves the official government guidance that singles out M.E. as a condition that does not automatically qualify people for a Blue Badge:
Whilst medical conditions such as asthma, Crohn’s disease/incontinent conditions, autism, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and other mental/cognitive/intellectual disabilities are not in themselves a qualification for a badge, people with these conditions may be eligible for a badge if they are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.
Eligibility is not determined by the presence or absence of any particular diagnosis or condition.
Provided that an applicant has a permanent and substantial disability, a local authority’s eligibility decision should be based on whether the applicant’s difficulty in walking meets the criterion in the regulations. Each application should be considered on its merits – not on a “one size fits all” basis. The final decision about whether an applicant meets the criterion is for the issuing authority to make.
The Department for Transport has no power to intervene in eligibility decisions in individual cases.
Unfortunately, this official guidance is sometimes misinterpreted by local authority administrative staff to mean that people with ME/CFS cannot qualify for a Blue Badge.
I have spoken to the Countess of Mar about this problem – who has kindly asked a parliamentary question >>>>
More info on the MEA website:
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...t-blue-badge-refusals-and-mecfs-14-june-2016/
Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA
What we’re saying about Blue Badge refusals and ME/CFS | 14 June 2016
One of the problems relating to Blue Badge applications and ME/CFS involves the official government guidance that singles out M.E. as a condition that does not automatically qualify people for a Blue Badge:
Whilst medical conditions such as asthma, Crohn’s disease/incontinent conditions, autism, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and other mental/cognitive/intellectual disabilities are not in themselves a qualification for a badge, people with these conditions may be eligible for a badge if they are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking.
Eligibility is not determined by the presence or absence of any particular diagnosis or condition.
Provided that an applicant has a permanent and substantial disability, a local authority’s eligibility decision should be based on whether the applicant’s difficulty in walking meets the criterion in the regulations. Each application should be considered on its merits – not on a “one size fits all” basis. The final decision about whether an applicant meets the criterion is for the issuing authority to make.
The Department for Transport has no power to intervene in eligibility decisions in individual cases.
Unfortunately, this official guidance is sometimes misinterpreted by local authority administrative staff to mean that people with ME/CFS cannot qualify for a Blue Badge.
I have spoken to the Countess of Mar about this problem – who has kindly asked a parliamentary question >>>>
More info on the MEA website:
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...t-blue-badge-refusals-and-mecfs-14-june-2016/
Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA
